1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to cleansing means and more particularly to an improved device and method for cleansing the head of a stethoscope.
2. Prior Art
Stethoscopes are in constant use by physicians, nurses, respiratory care practitioners and other clinical personnel in hospitals, medical offices, nursing care facilities and in other similar facilities for monitoring heart beats, breath sounds and blood pressures. As such, stethoscopes are a potential source of transmission of infections from one patient to another and between medical personnel and patients.
Nosocomial or hospital acquired infections are a leading cause of death of seriously ill patients. In 1958 over 50% of life-threatening infections in patients were acquired while the patients were in the hospital and 14% of such infections resulted in death. Although the acquisition of life-threatening infections by patients in hospitals is currently only about 5%, in many instances the virulence and seriousness of such infections has increased, especially since the advent of HIV-positive conditions, AIDS, Hepatitis A,B and C and the like.
Not only are hospital-acquired diseases potentially disasterous for patients, they can also be the focus of expensive lawsuits for medical malpractice. Therefore, modern medical personnel are acutely aware of the dangers of infection and take steps to prevent their transmission. However, such steps as are normally taken with respect to cleansing stethoscopes are relatively primitive and ineffective. Prepackaged isopropyl alcohol swabs are frequently used to wipe off the head of a stethoscope. However, the swabs are relatively expensive. Of more importance, isopropyl alcohol only has a limited bactericidal effect. It does not kill a large number of types of bacteria. Therefore, the potential for the acquisition of a disease via the stethoscope head remains.
Although the Nursing Risk Management and Education Department of most hospitals attempts to remind each clinician to hand wash prior to performing any procedure on a patient in order to reduce cross-contamination, monitoring of compliance with this instruction is impossible. After a stethoscope comes into direct contact with a patient, it now bears on its head whatever patient bacteria, flora and other contaminants that the patient has. The hazard for the clinician and any other patients to which the stethoscope head is applied thereafter is great, especially in view of the advent of the previously mentioned HIV virus and Hepatitis B, among other serious diseases.
There remains a need for an improved device which can conveniently, inexpensively and rapidly cleanse the head of a stethoscope so that it is essentially disinfected and reduces the potential source of transmission of disease. There also remains a need for a method employing such device for the cleansing procedure.